Improvement in hoof-skirts



distinti tatrt @tutti @Wire JULIUS WATERMAN, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 WATERMAN & MAYER, 0E SAME PLAGE.

Letters Paten-t No. 101,195, dated March 22, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN HOOP-SKIRTS.

The Schedule referred to in chene Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom yit may conce-rn:

Be it'kncwn that I, JULlUs WATERMAN, of the city and State of New York, have invented and made a new and useful Improvement in Ladies Skirts; and the following is hereby declared to be a correct description of the same.

The skeleton skirts, heretofore worn by ladies, are liable to project at the front part, by reason of the weight of the dress, which rests upon the bustle portionof the skirt. Besides this, in sitting down, the skirt isl generally projected at the sides and in front, and the springs of the bustle portion of the skirt, passing around horizontally, do not yield by contact with the seat, but are generally, uncmnfortable to the wearer. p

My invention consists in a combined bustle and skirt in which a series of bent springs, running from the waist downward, is combined with an adjustable supporter within and below the bust-le, and resting against the back ofthe person.

By this construction the bustle for a skirt is made to be elastic and yielding in any direction, the dress is kept up to the desired extent, the weight of the dress proved bustle, and

Figure 2 is a plan of the same. The skirt is made of woven material, of the desired `shape and size, and having the hoops a @running around the back and side portions only, so as to leave the front of the skirt plain The springs a, however, might pass all around the skirt.

lhe bustle-springs c. c are attached to the fabric b of the skirt. Each spring is bent at an arc of a circle or of an ellipse at the upper end, and thence extends downward, slightly convex.

At the waistband the upper ends of the springs are placed near each other, as seen in fig. 2; thence they diverge as they run down the skirt.

The upper ends of these springs, or thecoverings of the springs, should lap upon each other slightly,

las shown, so that'the pressure of the skirt at the back may be distributed upon all the springs.

lVithin the 'skirt, a spring, e, extends around and connects with the springs c c, to keep them ata given distance apart.

The adjustable supporter f is also applied below the bustle.

A second spring, e', may be used.

This supporter f is attached at its ends to the fabric of the skirt near the side springs c c of the bustle, and the middle portion is a lacing, passing through eyelets, so that the supporter can be lengthened,v to allow the bustle to set closer against the person, or shortened, to draw the sides toward each other and project the bustle at the back.

The supporter f, resting against the back of the person, sustains the weight of the dress, and prevents the lower portion of the skirt being thrown forward by the weight upon the bustle.

The ends of the springs of the skirt and bustle are protected by a piece of soft leather, such as sheep` skin, glued upon the braided fabric covering the spring, as illustrated in tig. 3, so that the metal does not injure the woven fabric, and the leather can easily be sewed thereto.

I claimas my invention-- The bustle-springs c c,curved at their upper ends and diverging as they pass down the fabric of the skirt, in combination with the adjustable supporter f, skirt, and spring a, as and for the purposes specified.

Signed December 29th, 1869.

J ULIUS WATERMAN.

Witnesses:

OHAs. H. SMITH, GEO. T. PINCKNEY. 

